Cam Newton Rookie of the Year: 5 Reasons Why Panthers QB Should Be Crowned

The 2011 NFL Rookie of the Year award is more or less a two-horse race, with the leading candidates being a pair of quarterbacks (Shock! Gasp! Surprise! The leaders for an award are quarterbacks!) in Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals and Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers.

Dalton had an outstanding rookie season, throwing for nearly 3,400 yards and 20 touchdowns while leading the Bengals to the playoffs. But when the lights fade after Saturday's NFL Honors ceremony, it will be Newton taking home the Pepsi Rookie of the Year award.

Here are some of the reasons why he should.

1. Newton's Electrifying Debut

Some pundits wondered before the season whether Newton was a wise selection by the Carolina Panthers with the first overall selection in last April's draft, and even more shook their heads when it was announced that Newton would start in Charlotte from day one.

One day is about all it took for Newton to prove those naysayers wrong, however, as in his first game in the National Football League Newton threw for 422 yards, shattering the record for passing yards in an NFL debut.

2. 4,051 Passing Yards

Newton's stellar debut was just a harbinger of things to come, though, as the former Auburn star continued to sling the rock around the National Football League all season long.

By the end of the year Newton had completed 310 of 517 passes for 4,051 yards, becoming the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season.

3. Over 700 Rushing Yards

It wasn't just Cam Newton's arm that the Panthers coveted when they chose him first overall, as the youngster's ability to hurt opposing teams with his legs may have been even more appealing.

Newton didn't let the Panthers down in that regard in his first season as a professional, carrying the ball over 125 times for 706 yards last year.

4. 35 Total Touchdowns

I'll freely admit that Cam Newton's 21 passing touchdowns in 2011 aren't an eye-popping number, and Newton's 17 interceptions show that his skills as a decision-maker still have room to develop.

It's on the ground where Newton did the more significant damage, however, as the 6'5" 248-pounder used that frame to barrel for 14 rushing touchdowns, an NFL record for scores on the ground by a quarterback.

5. Did I Mention the Three NFL Records?

Andy Dalton is a fine young quarterback who had a solid first year in the NFL, and it can't be argued that his team enjoyed more success in his first year under center, as the Cincinnati Bengals finished the season 9-7 and advanced to the playoffs.

However, Cam Newton posted nearly 5,000 total yards of offense, 35 scores, set a trio of NFL records in his first season, and helped improve the Carolina Panthers four games in the win column from 2010 to 2011.

As well as Dalton played, Newton's record breaking season just can't be ignored, and the Rookie of the Year honor deserves to be his.